The Walmart Curse Lives On

[BrianA]

People are jerks and Walmart doesn't set the bar too high either.

But this whole idea that our cars should stay scratchless and pristine is just counter intuitive thinking, unless you plan to never use it.

Many parking lots are not setup with enough space to fully open doors. Chances are whether you realize it or not, you yourself may have bumped or scratched a near by car. You'd be surprised how little it can take to scratch clear coat. Now couple that with people and body shops going overboard to repaint panels vs touch up and you might have more view into why people don't stick around to tell the owner. What could be a simple sorry + spit and buff could quickly turn into a demand that you pay $500.

In a crowded mall or bar if someone stepped on and scuffed your shoes, do you demand that your shoes have the leather cut out and a new leather patched in?

I'm not condoning poor behavior but there is also a reasonable expectation of wear and tear and things. This should include very much our cars in public. I think a bar is a good example. There is reasonable expectation that drinks will be spilled in a crowded bar and if you demanded someone pay for your shoes or outfit you'd be considered unreasonable.

Our car culture is honestly unhealthy, for most of us they are working tools but somehow we want to treat them like jewelery. Why are our truck beds covered in high impact materials and considered well used when things happen to it but they exterior treated like a snowflake. Its kind of counter intuitive. Perhaps all cars should just be painted with bedliner and our cultural expectations changed.

PS: I know these threads are in some way group therapy for the pain of having such big purchases besmirched the first time. It's understandable, it suchs, I'm sorry. But the threads always make it to be "obvious mal-intent" and turn into some doom/gloom spiral demand someone needs to me pay to repaint your car.

I remember my dad telling me whenever you get a new truck, drive it home, get a ball peen hammer, and put a dent in the fender. Get it over with right away so you can go on to actually use the darn thing.

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[stoptothink]

We got our first door ding in the Maverick a few weeks ago...at a Walmart. Don't shop there a ton, but it's the most convenient and cheapest place for my prescription.

Could have been worse. Came out of Home Depot a few years ago and the passenger door on our jetta was destroyed; someone didn't open their door on it, they obviously hit it with their moving vehicle. Required $1k+ of bodywork to fix. Of course, no note or anything on either occasion.

 

[FJM]

That's awful to hear. I wonder if perhaps looking into getting a dashcam would help you with at least capturing these degenerates that go near your truck.

 

[Cocobean]

Not to make light of this but here’s a note my neighbor left on someones car on my block…. People are inconsiderate everywhere!!!

 

[SLINGSHOT]

They aint called WALMARTIANS fer nuttin.

 

[gwrace14651]

So I mentioned awhile back how the last 4-5 cars we've owned have all been scratched and/or dented in a Walmart parking lot. I don't know why it's so common, I try to park away from people, but it's like the bad luck follows me .

I've included a few examples below, one that's on our explorer that's very bad, and clearly deliberate imo. It's a little hard to see in the pic, so I marked the begging and end with red lines. Then our maverick, which was scratched today. Compared to the explorer, it's mild, it looks like it only took off the clear coat and you don't really notice it until you get close, about 2-3 ft from the truck, but it's still annoying.

I wish more people in society were raised right. Of the 5 times this has happened, I've never once had someone leave money, or insurance information, or even wait around to apologize.

We order online at Walmart of if we have to make a trip to the store we go together. I drop her off and then take the car to the end of the parking lot. Most of the time I stand guard.... The same goes for our local grocery store. They now deliver for 6.95 per order. So much easier. When we take our motorhome to walmart on extended trips one of us stays with it at all times.

 

[OneAlienBoi]

Looks like a key in my opinion!

The explorer definitely was, the maverick, I'm less certain.

 

[MightyMaverick]

Geesh, get over it, I buy tools that get dirty, scratched and occasionally break, the first scratch & dent came at the lumber store, I have a truck not a show piece, Ford's cheap ass paint is flaking off anyway, bought the paint sealer that's supposed to cover the paint and interior but the devil's in the details, fing sales associate won't call me back, so get over it.

You don't have to be so cruel about it. Not everyone has that "Just get over it" philosophy. Also, not everyone uses their trucks for their intended purposes. Some may want to keep it pristine not to show off to others, but just for their own sakes. Or they can still utilize it while taking care of it at the same time. It's possible. They take pride in what they own and enjoy taking care of it. Keeping it pristine forever is literally impossible and getting the first scratches or dents is always hurtful no matter if you obsess over it or not. Just telling someone to "get over it" twice comes off as rude and rotten.

 

[MetalsGeek]

My Maverick was just 3 days old when I parked in a remote spot at Home Depot, far away from the crowd. When I came out, someone had run a shopping cart into my fender and left a noticeable dent. The lot was "quite" level, so you can't pretend that the cart ran away and did that on its own. I think the odds are better than 50/50 that someone did that on purpose when they saw the paper tags. I can only hope this happens to them some day, if they ever work and save to get a new car.

 

[Reconditioner]

I go to Wall*Mart often. I look for a parking spot that has enough space to park the truck. Many people park poorly and are too close to the white line of your parking space, I stay away from those spaces. I usually park a distance awy from the building, a long walk, but worth it for the MAV not to get scratched or dented.

And better for your healthy, which is why I do it.

 

[Teejman]

I went to WM today with the mav I’ve had for a few days now. This whole scenario was playing through my head before I even saw the post . I thought about squeezing in close but stayed further back and luckily I made it out ok.

 

[FJM]

That's awful to hear. I wonder if perhaps looking into getting a dashcam would help you with at least capturing these degenerates that go near your truck.

Or you can fake them out by getting a few of these for the inside windows. Maybe it’ll deter someone that may mess with you truck again.

 

[TheSEARCH]

I didn't read the whole thread so this might have been said, Nine times out of ten you parked to close. I always park way out by myself where no one will come out that far. Now MAYBE your walmart is packed BUT the two ones i go to have HUGE parking lots. I can park 100 feet away to closest car.

BUT like most they TRY and get closest to the store front door. EVEN my gym they do this. All to go in and run on tread mill. Like i said maybe in your part of the country this isn't possible but I have never seen it and have traveled a fair bit. If you do this every where you will walk miles and mile longer each year you live. Exception could be Christmas shopping time .I have seen lots close to full then. But other wise never.

 

[adsandiego]

People are jerks and Walmart doesn't set the bar too high either.

But this whole idea that our cars should stay scratchless and pristine is just counter intuitive thinking, unless you plan to never use it.

not only that, it's a effin' truck, for crying out loud, an inexpensive one at that. makes me laugh when people treat/think it's a Ferrari.

 

[DavidLs]

I have to admit my old ranger is pretty dinged up. I love to catch the jerks "New cars Mainly do it"who take up two parking spaces an leave me enough room to block the driver side door and I can still stay in the white lines. I have came back to the ranger and found boot prints on it and nasty notes. But If you going to take up two spaces make sure no redneck can get inside the white line and you door . The Door ding on the Mav is just a price of life I guess . I have gotten less's when I put the Thick 3 inch Cowles Chevy Truck Side molding on it. For 50 bucks worth every penny. No Brush guard yet. Still cannot find one

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